Recipe: Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patties in Lettuce Leaves with Nuoc Mam Sauce

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Patties in Lettuce Leaves:

THE PORK:

2 pounds ground pork
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or mashed between wax paper
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon shao hsing wine, or dry sherry
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or corn oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste

THE WRAPPING AND GARNISHES:

24 large Boston lettuce leaves, well rinsed and patted dry
1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1 cup chopped scallions
2 cups raw rice cooked without salt until tender and cooled to room temperature
Nuoc mam sauce (recipe below)

Combine all the ingredients for the ground pork in a bowl and blend well with the fingers. Place the bowl briefly in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. The chilling will facilitate shaping the patties.

Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal fire.

With the fingers and palms, shape the pork into 2-inch balls. Make them all approximately the same size. Maneuver each ball into a miniature football shape, approximately 3 inches long. Chill until ready to use.

Run a skewer lengthwise through each patty and grill, turning frequently, until browned and cooked through. Serve immediately. The technique for eating the patties is as follows:

Open a lettuce leaf and add a sprig of coriander, 1 or 2 mint leaves, chopped scallion and a small spoonful of rice. Add the hot pork patty and wrap the leaf around. Using the fingers, dip the "package" into the nuoc mam sauce and eat with the fingers. Yield: 4 to 8 servings.

NUOC MAM SAUCE:

1 cup fish sauce, available in bottles where Oriental foods are sold
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (or use a little cayenne to taste)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water

Combine all the ingredients and stir to blend. Place equal portions into individual bowls and serve with Vietnamese dishes. Leftover sauce may be kept refrigerated for a week or longer. Yield: About 1 1/2 cups.

The New New York Times Cookbook